By Muhyideen Jimoh

The Nigeria Football Federation will on Monday in Abuja unveil Finidi George as substantive Head Coach of the Senior Men National Team, Super Eagles.

NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

He said the occasion would be witnessed by Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Owan Enoh, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Tinuke Watti, NFF President, Ibrahim Gusau and the NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, among others.

George, who passed up an opportunity to coach a second-tier team in Spain to return to Nigeria and lead two-time CAF Champions League winners, Enyimba FC, won the Nigeria elite division title with the People’s Elephant in his second season.

The club is also in the running to retain the title this season, with six matches to go.

George formally bowed out of the Aba giants few days ago, with Enyimba FC in third place on the NPFL log, with 53 points from 32 matches, four adrift of table-toppers Enugu Rangers and three off second-placed Remo Stars.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 52-year-old spent 20 months as assistant to Portuguese José Peseiro from the summer of 2022.

The Super Eagles qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON ) and came within 28 minutes of a fourth African title in Cote d’Ivoire in February.

George, as a player, won 62 caps for Nigeria at senior level, during which he won the AFCON gold, silver and bronze, while also playing at two FIFA World Cup finals.

The coach has the immediate task of picking maximum points from the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa (home) and Benin Republic (away). (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Salif Atojoko

By Kazeem Akande

The Nigeria Amputee Football Federation has unveiled the team’s kits ahead of the Amputee African Cup of Nations (AAFCON) slated for Cairo, Egypt, from May 18 to May 30.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ex-Nigerian International, Segun Odegbami, unveiled the new ‘Special Eagles’ jerseys at the occasion in Surulere, Lagos , on Thursday.

Odegbami lauded the players for their resilience and commitment toward achieving the best in Africa as a team.

”We have Green, Flying Eagles, Super Eagles and Falconet, all those are normal footballers; but these special Eagles are the one that are challenged and when they succeed in their course, its like going beyond ordinary.

”I feel very honoured to be among the challenged of the eagles and I pray that Heaven will open doors of opportunities for them and they are going to win in that AAFCON tourney.

”They are some of the heroes you can find in Nigeria as they have surmounted what ordinarily we will take for granted.

”So, I wish them best of luck and I am looking forward to receiving them when they come back with the trophy,” he said.

According to him, the quality of the jerseys with the real colour of Nigeria cannot be over-emphasised.

”I am just recommending that we start embracing our home products as they reflect the true colours of the country.”

The former Super Eagles’ player said that the kits, produced by PROSTAR, an indigenous designer, were beautiful.

”I am exceedingly happy because it is home-made and that’s what our government is propagating, saying we should embrace our products and patronise them to advance our economy.

”These jerseys reflect national emblem and I bless the brand called Special Eagles and we need people to support them and patronise them also,” he said.

Also, Paul Maduakor, the President of the Nigeria Amputee Football Federation, said he felt elated when Odegbami honoured the Special Eagles invitation to unveil their kits.

Maduakor said that PROSTAR sport kits were initiated to support athletes with disability in the country.

”Raise an Eagle Project” is our watchword, where we diversify to give support to the challenged sportsmen and women.

”Once you buy our PROSTAR jersey products, you have given support to the Special Eagles and other physically challenged athletes out there.

”We diversify to give them better standard of living and at the same time encourage them to perform better during competitions,” he said.

He added that the Special Eagles are ever ready to make positive impact at the coming AAFCON in Egypt.

According to him, since the team has been there and performed well in Africa, it will do everything possible to perform better at the tournament.

”We have done everything possible about preparations and we can assure that they are going to make Nigeria proud.

”That’s the reason our jersey products are dedicated to support and encourage the challenged and that’s why we began ‘Raise the Eagles Project’ to support them,” he said.

NAN reports that Special Eagles are competing in the 2024 AAFCON with team’s from no fewer than 16 nations.

The tournament, initially planned to hold from April 19 to April 28, was, however, rescheduled to hold from May 18 to May 30.

Nigeria is in Group A with the host country, Egypt; Cameroon and Burundi.

Group B has Morocco, Liberia, Uganda and Senegal while Group C has Ghana, Kenya, Gambia and Algeria.

Group D comprises Angola, Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Rwanda. (NAN)

Edited by Dianabasi Effiong

By Chinenye Offor

Dr Richard Montgomery, the British High Commissioner in Nigeria says his country’s Rwanda Policy is intended to serve as discouragement to illegal migrants seeking asylum in the European country.

Montgomery said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

He explained that the UK Parliament had agreed in a bill passed into law to partner with Rwanda in handling illegal migrants to the UK and deporting them to Rwanda.

According to him, the Rwanda Policy is a way of sending signal to illegal migrants that even if they are able to find their way to the UK through the wrong channel, they would still not succeed in remaining in the UK.

He said that the migrants would be housed, looked after, and if they have genuine asylum concerns, their cases would be assessed and processed.

He however said that the agreement with Rwanda still had to be legally ratified, and to go through its own processes. But I believe that it will be ratified as an international treaty.

“It is really important to stress that this is about illegal migration to the UK. It is about people who are often exploited by criminal gangs to take what is an awfully terribly perilous journey.

“That is crossing the English channel in tiny boats run by criminal gangs, with the promise of getting them into the UK. This is really tragic because many people die while crossing”.

The envoy also said it was premature to say whether or not Nigerians were part of the policy at the current stage of the implementation plan.

He noted that it would not be appropriate to talk about individual cases or to talk about operational planning.

He gave an assurance that some safeguards have been put in place to check the entire process.

“We have been working directly with relevant authorities to ensure that there is a decent standard of housing for the people that will be deported.

“They will have access to whatever level of education they need from primary to tertiary and vocational education.

“They will have the right to work in Rwanda. They are economic migrants, but there will be some people who may have legitimate asylum claims.

“We have been working with the Rwandan judiciary and their bar association to ensure that the migrants have “caseworkers” and legal representation to go through due process,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Deborah Coker/Emmanuel Yashim

By Muhyideen Jimoh

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Sports Development, Mrs Tinuke Watti has charged  administrative and executive officers in the ministry on the need for professionalism and enhanced productivity.

Watti made the call on Tuesday in Abuja, at a sensitization workshop for administrative and executive officers in the ministry on professionalism on human resource management in the Federal Civil Service.

She underscored the need for ministry officials to do more in obtaining the necessary professional certifications from approved professional bodies in order to enhance efficient service delivery.

“Henceforth Administrative officers are required to obtain professional certifications from relevant and approved professional bodies for progression in the Service.

“Specifically, possession of such certifications shall be one of the conditions for promotion from GL 13-GL 14., in addition to other criteria prescribed in the Public Service Rules and Guidelines on Appointment, Promotion and Discipline,” she said.

Watti, who stressed the importance of training and capacity building, said the workshop was part of the reforms by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan aimed at efficient service delivery.

She expressed optimism that the workshop would go a long way in equipping and enhancing the capacity of officials in line with international best practices.

Earlier, Mrs Modupe Bankole, Managing Consultant, Diadems Global Support Services, the lead Resource person at the workshop stressed the importance of professionalism and certification to enhance productivity.

“Given the different reforms from the Head of Service, it is important that competent officials manage human management.

“The staff needs to know what competences they need to acquire, what skills and how they can give their best in the civil service,” she said.

Bankole said that given the strategic importance of the sports sector,  all hands must be on deck to ensure that the mandate of the ministry was realised.

She said that accredited professional bodies were also part of the workshop to ensure continuous capacity building, while Diadems will continue to work with the ministry to track deliveries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that professional bodies at the workshop included the Chartered Institute of Human Resources, and Strategic Management (CIHRM).

Others are the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) and the Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria (chartered). (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Joseph Edeh

By Chimezie Anaso

Patrick-Estate Onyedum, Chairman, Anambra State Sports Development Commission (ASSDC), has said that 756 primary and secondary schools would participate in the state’s 2024 School Sports Festival.

Onyedum said this at the Pre-Competition Press Conference ahead of the festival scheduled to hold in Awka.

He said the festival which would hold between May 2 and June 7, would surpassed the 2023 edition where 600 schools participated.

He said the festival would feature 12 sporting events including Athletics, Basketball, Chess, Football, Scrabble, Swimming, Table tennis, Tennis,  Taekwondo, Volleybal, Cricket and Ncho in U-12, U-14 and U-18 categories.

The Chairman said the first school sports festival was hugely successful with discovery of young and raw talented children across Anambra.

“I welcome you all to the 2024 edition of Anambra State School Sports Festival, a flagship Programme under the Anambra State Sports Solution Initiative of the Sports Development Commission.

“At about this time last year, we were all gathered here for the ceremonial kick off of the first edition, the children from that festival went to National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State and shook the country at that level of sports development.

“Children of Anambra became once again, princes and princesses of the tracks, karate and taekwondo prodigies as well as beach volleyball champions and national sensation.

“As I speak to you, some of those athletes are on academic scholarships in some of the best schools in Abuja and Anambra,” he said.

Onyedum congratulated Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, the Commissioner for Education for giving students and pupils the opportunity to develop themselves academically and sports wise.

He said the Sports Commission would continue to support them especially in the area of sports infrastructure.

“Maybe I should suggest that going forward,  it should be considered an offense not to allow your students to participate in a festival like this.

“That child you are denying the opportunity to participate in sports may be the world champion in-waiting in the next five or 10 years.

“Preparations for this year’s National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State has started and talents that will be discovered from this festival will constitute up to 85 per cent of Anambra team to that Games.

“I want to thank the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh for believing in this project and providing the raw materials with which we are doing this work,” he said.

In his speech, Gov. Chukwuma Soludo said his administration would continue to support sports for greater empowerment impact.

Soludo who was represented by Ernest Ezeajughi, his Chief of Staff, called on the Sports Development Commission to expand its scope of activities to get more people engaged in sporting activities.

According to him, we acknowledge the abundance of sports talents in Anambra and this administration is resolute in bringing out the best in children in order to channel their minds to positive ventures so that they can contribute to development.

“We want to call on relevant stakeholders to key into the sports sector in the state to achieve better results,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Emmanuel Afonne

By Victor Okoye

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA) Sports Carnival will help promote nationhood and social cohesion in the country.

Musa said this during the teeing-off of the USOSA golf tournament at IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja on Saturday.

He said he was happy to be a product of Unity School, adding that it shaped him into the man he is today.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 42 Unity Colleges from across the country slugged it out for honours in 14 sports at this year’s carnival.

He said it was exciting to see the calibre of people at the sports carnival, adding that every local government, tribe and religion from across the country was represented, which depicts unity in diversity and promotes social cohesion.

“It is a pleasure and a great privilege to be here.

“Federal Government College, Sokoto, gave us platform and the foundation that we are standing on and together I can see the difference we are making all over the country and the world.

“I remain forever grateful for attending a Federal Government College. The schools are the pride of the nation, although we need to ask if the standards are still being maintained these days.

“If not, what are we doing about it because we benefitted from the system and it will sad for us not to do anything when we are in the position to make a change.

“So, I think it’s good that we do something for the unity schools so that we can bring them back to standard in sports, education and everything the institution represents,” he said.

Michael Magaji, the President General of USOSA, told NAN that the golf tournament was integrated into the competition to help strengthen the aging participants.

He noted that the theme of this year’s carnival was, “Regniting Unity in Diversity,” adding that the carnival brought together no fewer than 3,000 USOSANS and 2,000 non-USOSANS.

“We are using sports as a tool to showcase unity, nationhood and social cohesion amongst USOSANS and non-USOSANS alike.

“The carnival is part of our ‘project unite’ which covers the health, wellness, careers and different components of living.

“The idea is to situate Nigeria and position sports as a tool to help unite the country,” he said.

Ahmad Hussaini, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, said USOSA was borne out of a need to save the Unity Schools from being sold by the federal government.

He recalled the during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government there were plans by the then Minister for Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, to sell the unity schools under the government’s privatisation drive at the time.

“So, some of us formed a pressure group and resisted the attempt by the government to sell our unity schools; and the pressure group was what metamorphosed into USOSA.

“We went the extra mile to save our federal government colleges from being sold because we were products of these schools and knew what we benefited from them.

“We have members from all over Nigeria. A good number of them are golfers. Sports is also a tool for unification. Sports is a tool for team building. It’s a tool for national building and promoting excellence,” he said.

NAN reports that the Sports Carnival which began on Monday ended on Saturday. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Salif Atojoko

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, on Saturday in Abuja called on Nigerians, irrespective of tribe or religion to unite and fight Nigeria’s common enemies.

Speaking at the second edition of Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA) sports carnival, Musa listed the common enemies as terrorism, banditry and other social vices.

“Nigeria is challenged; so we need a united Nigeria to confront all the challenges we are facing.

“Nigerians must unite and confront the evil that is coming against us. So many people do not like the blessings we are having as a country.

“We must shame them by working together as a team and together we will continue to move forward,’’ he said.

Musa, an old student of Federal Government College, Sokoto, noted that sports is a unifying factor that unite people and stressed the need for Nigerians to foster peace and promote national unity.

“At this sports carnival today, we are all one; we all love Nigeria. Nigeria gave us so much while in unity schools and that is what we are trying to bring out.

“This is a good opportunity and we all know how sports unite us and teach discipline to understand oneself and to make sacrifices to know that there will be failures in life.

“What does one do when he or she fails? He or she rises and move forward and that is what we are trying to preach,’’ he said.

Musa also called on Nigerians to continue to promote Nigeria’s diversity for national development.

In his remarks, President-General of USOSA, Mr Michael Magaji called on Nigerians to continue to promote teamwork and excellence within Nigeria’s diversity as a way of adding value to national common heritage.

Magaji noted that the vision of the founding fathers of unity schools many decades back had led to the promotion of Nigeria’s values and the educational system.

“We see Nigerians in unity from all parts of the country coming here and using sports to promote teamwork and excellence which help to manage and understand the country’s diversity.

“Unity schools were set up more than 50 years ago primarily to promote quality education, but more importantly to promote nation building.

“We must continue to work together to integrate the ideals of this project for our common goal,’’ Magaji stressed.

The military government of retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon set up 12 additional Unity Schools in 1973.

This was after he visited one of the first three Federal Government Colleges in Sokoto in 1970, soon after the end of Nigeria’s civil war.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that more than 3,000 old students of more than 55 unity colleges scattered around the country today were in attendance at the sports carnival.

The sports carnival has “Reigniting Unity in Diversity’’ as its theme. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Alli Hakeem

By Muhyideen Jimoh

Sen. John Owan Enoh, Minister of Sports Development and Paul Edeh, Chairman, Benue State Football Association (BSFA) have called for investment in sports tourism to fast track the socio-economic development of Africa.

The sports administrators joined other stakeholders in canvassing this stand at the 2024 inaugural Africa Sports and Tourism Awards (ASTA) in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ASTA with the theme “Sports as a Catalyst for Accelerated Tourism Development in Africa,” honoured 16 recipients who have contributed immensely to sports and tourism development in Nigeria and across Africa.

Enoh, one of the recipients, in his remarks underscored the need to focus on the development of the sports and tourism sectors to drive Africa’s economic development.

“This event highlights the immense potentials that sports tourism holds for Africa’s development.

” Sports and tourism are two dynamic industries that can serve as a powerful catalyst for the economic development of Africa.

“They posses the tactical ability to bridge cultures, foster economic growth and ignite challenge,” he said.

The minister stressed the need to view sports as big business and invest more in sports infrastructure/events to drive the narrative.

Earlier, Paul Edeh, BSFA Chairman, Benue State Football Association (BSFA), ASTA recipient said the award will further spur him to the development of sports in Nigeria.

“For me it’s a rare privilege to experience this kind of award.

“I will continue to see how I can promote sports, particularly the game of football in all spheres.

” Of course as the chairman of BSFA, the award will spur me to continue to grow the game at the grassroots and support women in sports,” he said.

Edeh said plans have been concluded for the maiden BSFA Sports Awards slated for June, while also focusing on grassroots football tournaments across the state.

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By By Georgina Adegbie/Victor Okoye

The Electoral Committee of the 2024 FCT SWAN elections (SWANECO) has fixed May 10 for the concluding part of the elections.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that winners could not emerge in the positions of the Chairman and the Treasurer after the elections held on Friday in Abuja.

In the Chairmanship position where Folusho Oyekan, Tolulope Oguntimehin, and Kelechi Onwudiwe contested, both Oguntimehin and Onwudiwe polled 64 votes each, while Oyekan scored 8 votes.

However, Victor Okoye of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) emerged unopposed as Vice Chairman of the association.

He received a voice affirmation following a “Yes or Nay” session conducted by Patrick Ngwaogu, the Chairman of the SWAN Electoral Committee (SWANECO).

An elated Okoye told NAN that the people had spoken, adding that he was pleased and humbled by the massive support and affirmation by members of the association.

“As the saying goes, `the voice of the people is the voice of God` and so I humbly accept the mandate to serve and deploy all resources at my disposal to the service of this great association.

“I come as a breath of fresh air with a blend of youthful and positive energy. I am people-oriented and justice and equity are my watchwords“, he said.

He said he would work closely and assiduously with the incoming chairman of the association to uphold its constitution.

“We will ensure that our great association takes its rightful place in the comity of professional bodies in FCT.

“My intention is to hit the ground running from day one with a chairman who has a vision for our noble profession and one who is void of any form of prejudice, bias, sentiments or divisive tendencies.

“We will close ranks and mend fences with all stakeholders and to work towards achieving our set goals and achieve the SWAN of our dreams,” he said.

Other contestants who emerged unopposed also on Friday were; Sam Ahmadu (secretary) and Niyi Busari (financial secretary)

.Friday Joshua emerged as the newly elected Assistant Secretary as he polled 104 votes to defeat Nonso Arinzechukwu, who got 32 votes.

Joan Iwuchukwu was elected as a welfare officer after she polled 88 votes to beat Busayo Olowookere, who garnered 48 votes. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)